Tuesday, January 10, 2006

X-men Bring The Racism

Hunted and feared by the world around them, the mutant crusaders known as the X-men, have always been more than just another team of super heroes saving the day. Classified as Homo Superior, mutants have been the subject of numerous hate crimes ranging from simple beatings to attempted genocide. The X-men represent the empowered minorities, fighting for a world where men and women of all race, class, and evolved and not so evolved humans could live equally. Preaching the open hand philosophy, Professor Charles Xavier has always been striving for mutants and humans to coexist peacefully. Using his highly trained X-men, Professor X helped to provide a force that is able to fight back against those who would see our society separated and segregated. Blasting Sentinels and smacking Magneto every chance they get, the X-men are the comic book versions of Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Gandhi all rolled into one, except with optic blasts, telepathy, and admantium claws.

X-men fans like to speak of the parable that is of the downtrodden mutant living in a world where they are surrounded by scowling, horrendous, racists mutant haters. Its a manner of pride that the X-men are not only just fighting bad guys to uphold a civil and just world, but that they are also championing a world of equality and co-existence. 40 plus years into their struggle, the X-men have made some very remarkable strides in their fight against the narrow minds of the world at large.

Unfortunately, the X-men themselves are no saints. One starts to wonder what kind of person it takes to persevere in a world that has tried time and time again to kill, eradicate, cull, and cure their kind. What kind of resolve does it take to not fall prey to same hate that they are a victim to time and time again? Do the X-men have it? No. No, they do not.

Ladies and Gentleman, let me introduce you to....

X-Racism

While perusing the Neal Adams Visionairies trade(X-men Vol 1 # 56-63,65), in hopes of unlocking the secrets that Brubaker has been alluding to in his X-men: Deadly Genesis, I've come across some deadly secrets of my own that most, if not all, X-men fans have forgotten. That's right, X-racism. Only 56 issues of the X-men being feared and hunted, and already they are starting to exhibit traits of those that which they fight against: prejudice.

Whilst trying to rescue Havok from the Living Pharaoh, the X-men are attacked by Egyptian police who attack them unprovoked. Upset and aggravating, Cyclops lets the optic blasts fly. But that's not the only thing he lets fly...

I don't believe there's any room for the term "camel jockey" in a peaceful world of mutant-human peaceful coexistence.

With Cyclops setting a horrible example for the impressionable teens that are under his charge, it is only a matter time before the other team members follow suit. However, the problem becomes much worse. Not only do they try to alienate themselves by acting as the poster child for bigots, they fight amongest each other. It is both shocking and revolting to see the X-men fall back on insulting each other's abilities in the midst of combat. Surely, not the well functioning team that most X-fans are used to seeing.

Iceman's verbal berating of the Beast's state of origin is not only despicable, its Un-American. Last time I checked, there was no "State Elitism" in team. Starts to make you wonder if that the only reason Wolverine's Canadian nationality is tolerated on the team is because he's a loose cannon psychopath that has killed his team mates before in the past.

You would think that being subject to inexcusable behavior, that a respectable man like the Beast would be above such cheap shots. Nope. Beast is a Republican.

In light of all this, you might find yourself questioning the X-men's stance in the realm of mutant-human relations. I wondered if Magneto was really all that bad. Maybe he was just mislabeled an evil man because he did not believe in Xavier's Dream. It makes sense. If I had laid witness to the persecution of the jews during the Holocaust like Magneto himself was, I too might think twice about joining forces with Professor X. Does he really hate all humans as much as he says he does? Or has he been given a bad rep by those who claim to seek a better world, yet so carelessly let offensive remarks slip from their tongue so easily?

...

Hmm...

You know....as long as we keep Bendis away from it, a world led by Magneto probably wouldn't be so bad.

Actually, you know, Bendis wasn't even the problem. It was letting him continue the story after the second issue. Notice how much better off everyone was at the beginning of House of M? If he'd just stopped there, it would have been okay.

this may be off topic but how do you get mutants and humans to coexist peacefully, if mutants and humans (prof. X and Dr. Moira Mactaggert) both tell the world that mutants are the next step in evolution (in other words; hey,humans. see the mutants? there your replacements so die out already.)who wants to be the next Neanderthal.also, is it just me or does the professor seem just a little SINISTER!notice how quick logan dumps his friend in alpha flight to join a total stranger's cause?or how about all the other time characters have suddenly forgot about leading their lives to follow HIS dream.i don't see that kind of behavior from the likes of Thunderbird 1, colossus, sunfire, storm, etc, etc, etc.not to mention the team he lost between the original one and the wolverine one."oops, we'll just forget about them" though the professor, "can't discourage the new recruits."